NTL plans nationwide video-on-demand

NTL is to launch a pure video-on demand (VOD) service offering movies, music, children’s and adult programming, as well as a personal video recorder (PVR), early next year.

The cable operator has confirmed to analysts that it will be launching the VOD service, called ntl:on demand, in the first quarter of 2005.

Unlike Sky’s pay-per-view Box Office service and Telewest and NTL’s equivalent Front Row service, ntl:on demand will allow NTL’s digital television subscribers to watch the requested content immediately, rather than waiting for a set showing.

Viewers will also have access to a back-catalogue of hundreds of films, rather than having their choice limited to new releases. The VOD service will allow viewers to rewind, fast-forward, pause and repeat the content during the rental period, which is likely to be 24 hours.

The VOD service will be the first to be made available to a mass market and will be rolled out one region at a time. The only other VOD provider in the UK is Video Networks, whose HomeChoice is only available to 1.25 million homes in parts of London. HomeChoice charges £3.50 to watch a new release, up to £2.50 for an older film and £5 for access to up to 50 films a month.

Next year, NTL will also launch a PVR with similar functionality to BSkyB’s Sky Plus, which allows viewers to start watching programmes that are being recorded and to rewind and pause them.

NTL has taken full control of Virgin.net, the UK’s fifth-largest internet services provider, after buying Virgin Media Group’s 51 per cent stake. Virgin.net, which was set up by Virgin and NTL as a joint venture in 1996, now has 590,000 UK customers.

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